Mileage-book.



M E. SPARKS.

MILEAGE BOOK.

APPLIQATION FILED JUNE 6, 1910.

1325,2395. Patented May 7, 1912.

' v r Attorneys COLUMBIA PUNOGRAPII 50., WASHINGTON. B. C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MIRABEAU E. SPARKS, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-TENTHS TOHERBERT MGCONATHY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

MILEAGE-BOOK.

This invention relates to mileage books or the like.

In figuring up the mileage to be pulled on a railroad train, theconductor usually adds the number of miles which he intends to draw tothe number of miles which have already been extracted from the book andthen tears out the mileage down to the proper point. This figuring isusually done with a pencil on the back of the mileage strip, and it isinconvenient not only on account of the time lost in figuring but alsoon account of the time lost in turning back the mileage sheet to figureon the back thereof. Moreover, the conductors frequently make mistakesand, if they discover them in time are forced to go through the train asecond time to correct the error.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mileage book bymeans of which the number of miles to be extracted can be easily andquickly determined by the conductor without the necessity of figuringwith a pencil "and paper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a backing or cover whichis particularly adapted for use in connection with the mileage strip ofthe present invention,

the mileage strip and the back thus co6per-. ating with each other in avery effective manner.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the new and usefularrangement of the strip adapted taching thereof, it being understoodthat changes in the precise embodiment of inven-.

tion herein disclosed can be made within the scope of the claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification :-Figure1 is a face view of the two end portions of a mile- Speeifieation ofLetters Fatent.

Application filed June 6, 1910.

Patented May '7, 1912.

Serial No. 565,256.

age strip arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 'isa view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified construct-ion. Fig.3 is a similar view showing another modified arrangement of the mileagestrip. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a backing which is adapted tocooperate with the mileage strip so as to aid'in determining the pointat which it is to be torn off and to assist in the tearing operation.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the differentfigures of the drawings.

The reference numeral 1 indicates a strip which is formed of paper orother suitable material and is intended to be pasted or otherwisesecured in a suitable backing as will; hereinafter appear.

In Fig. 1, the outer end of the strip is indicated by the numeral 2 andthe inner end which is secured in the backing isindicated by the numeral3. As is usual in mileage lbooks, thest rip 1 represents 1000 miles andis suitably perforated or otherwise weakened sothat it can be torn offat any suitable point. The strip 1 is provided with a column lettered awhich will be referred to as the unit column. This column contains aseries of numbers running preferably from l to 1000. Each of thesenumbers is located on a horizontally detachable section ofthe strip. Thestrip 1 is also provided with a column Z) which will be referred to asthe reverse unit column. While the numbers in the unit column a; startwith 1 and run to 1000, the numbers in the column b are reverselyarranged so that they start with 1000 and descend to 1. The unit columna is used in the calculation necessary for detaching the appropriateamount of mileage, and the reverse unit column b is used to indicate theamount of mileage remaining in the book.

Each integer in the unit column a has associated therewith a diagonallyextending column or series of digits marked 0. The first digit of eachauxiliary column preferably is located on the same mile piece or sectionas the unit to which sai'dauxiliary column relates. For example, thefirst aux arated from each other by diagonally ex tending lines. Theselines however may be omitted if desired as shown for example in Fig. 3of the drawing. Moreover, the adjacent diagonal columns preferably areprinted in contrasting colors. For example, the uppermost diagonalcolumn in Fig. 1 may have the digits thereof printed in red ink, thesecond diagonal column may have the digits thereof printed in blue ink,the third diagonal column may have the digits thereof printed in red inkand the fourth diagonal column may have the digits thereof printed inblue ink and so on down the stri Iii addition to the unit column a andthe reverse unit column Z), the strip 1 preferably is provided with adecimal column fand a memorandum column g. Just after every tenth unitin the column a, the decimal column is divided horizontally by the deepline or other suitable. means it. The different sections of the decimalcolumn f preferably are marked as indicated in the drawing. That is tosay, the top section may be left blank, the second section from the topmay be marked one ten, the'third sect-ion from the top may be marked twotens, the fourth section may be marked three tens, and so on, thepurpose being to indicate the number of tens which have been torn fromthe book. For example, if the first decimal section remaining in thebook is marked say, six tens, it will indicate that at least sixty mileshave already been torn out of the book, and in detaching further mileageit is easy to locate quickly the point at which the mileage is to betorn by adding the number of times ten is contained in the number ofmiles already torn to the number of times ten is contained in the numberof miles to be detached, and then turning to the proper block of tens asindicated in column 7". For example, if 64 miles have been detached,column f will indicate (i-10s and if 37 miles are to be torn, the G tensin 64 should be added to the 3 tens in 37, and the resulting sum, 9,indicates that the computation for the detachment must be made in theblock marked 910s in column Or, suppose 418 miles have already been tornout column 7 will indicate ll-10s, and if 176 miles are to be torn out,17 which is the number of tens contained in 176 should be added mentallyto 41 and the resulting sum, 58, indicates that the computation for thedetachment must be made in the block marked 58 10s, in column As will befurther explained hereafter, the point, in the ten block, from which thecomputation is to be started is indicated by the right hand figure inthe unit column, a, which must be the same numeral which appearsat theright of this column (a) in the first untorn mileage piece; that is inthe first mileage sect-ion at the top of that portion of the mileageslip which is still left in the book. For instance, in the aboveillustration, 64: miles have been detached, then 65 is the first untornmileage section, and of course 5 is the right hand numeral, and therebeing 37 miles to be torn, the computation must be made from the 910sblock (in column f) and from the unit number 95, and the portion must bedetached 011 the horizontal line immediately under the numeral 7 in thediagonal column 0 leading from the unit 95 in unit column (1. Furtherexamples of the mode of using the book are hereinafter given.

The memorandum column 9 is intended to receive any. suitable memorandumsuch, for example as the initials of the railroad on which the mileageis pulled, where mileage is capable of use on more than one road, or theinitials of the conductor or any other desired information dependingupon the rules of the particular railroad on which the mileage ispulled.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the digits in each of the diagonalcomputing columns (2 run from 1 to 9 inclusive. The modifiedconstruction illustrated in Fig. 2 is exactly the same as that shown inFig. 1 except that the digits in the diagonal computing column are thesame as the integers to which they relate in the unit column a. In otherwords all of the digits in the diagonal column relating to the number 1in. the unit column are numbered 1 and all those relating to the number2 in the unit column are numbered 2.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, the columns a, 5, f and g areexactly the same as shown in Fig. 1. Each mile piece or section (Z 6',etc., is provided with a horizontally extending series of digits runningfrom 1 to 9. In addition to the horizontally extending digits, themileage strip is also arranged with diagonally extending digits. Forinstance, in the first vertical column marked 71/, to the right of the.unit column a, it will be seen that the second mile piece contains thedigit 1 corresponding to the number of the preceding mile piece. Thethird mile piece or section in the second column marked 2' contains thenumeral 1. The fourth mile piece or section in the vertical columnmarked 9 contains the numeral 1 and so on down in diagonal series. Itwill be seen therefore that the arrangement .of strips shown in Fig. 3contains vertically, horizontally and'diagonally extending series ofdigits. The purpose of the horizontally extending digit is to indicateor distinguish the different computing columns. For iiistance thevertical column marked h is the first computing column, the verticalcolumn marked 5 is the second computing column. the vertical columnmarked 7' is the third computing column and so on according to the digitat the upper end thereof. It is to be noted particularly in Fig. 3 thatthe diagonally extending series of numbers do not start over each timethey reach 9 in number. As shown at the lower end of Fig. 3, the integer998 is carried down in diagonal series and the integer 999 is carrieddown in diagonal series and this arrangement is carried out throughoutthe entire length of the strip.

The mode of using the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 is as follows:-In each instance, the last digit in the number of miles to be detachedfrom the mileage strip, indicates the computing column to be used. Forexample, if the number of miles to be detached is 11, 21, 31, tl, or anynumber ending in the digit 1, the column used is indicated by thereference letter h. In other words the first computing column in Fig. 3is employed. If the number of miles to be detached is twelve,twenty-two, thirty-two or any other number ending in the digit 2, thenthe second computing column indicated by the reference letter 27 isused. The last digit thus determines the column up to 9., If the numberends in a cipher, it is of course unnecessary to do any more than rundown the first column and tear out at the proper point. 1

The following are examples of the mode of using the form of mileagestrip shown in Fig. 3: If the number of miles already detached from thestrip is 2 1, and llmiles more are to be detached, the decimal 10 isadded to the number of miles detached. In other words 10 is added to 24making 34. The conductor then takes the first column marked 72, and runsdown the same until he comes to the number 34 at which point he tearsoff the mileage. It will be found that the number 34 in the firstcomputing column h is on the same horizontal line with the number 35 inthe unit column a and that 11 plus 24 equals 35.

As a further example, if the number of miles already detached is 25, and37 miles more are to be pulled, add the three decimals in 30, to 25,thus making 55. Then run down the computing column No. 7 until thenumber 55 is reached and then tear off the strip. It will be found thatthe number 55 in the seventh vertical computing column is on the samehorizontal line with the number 62 in the mileage or unit column a andthe result is therefore the same as though the conductor had added 25and 37 to make 62.

By reason of the fact that each mile piece or section contains thehorizontally extending series of digits indicating the digit computingcolumns, the conductor can always find the proper column to use.

It is to be understood that the mileage strip of the present inventioncan be printed or arranged with type of any desired shape and characterand that different colors of ink can be used to distinguish thedifferent series of numerals from each other. No attempt will be madehere to specify the different characters and colors to be used as theymaybe varied indefinitely at will.

The mileage strip 1 is secured in a backing consisting of threesections,-11amely an intermediate section 5 to which the inner end 3 ofthe mileage strip 1 is pasted; an inner end member 6 hinge-connected tothe intermediate member 5 at 7 and having at its outer end a tubularmetal enlargement or edge 8 provided with integral flanges 9 fittedagainst opposite sides of the member 6; and an outer end member 10hingeconnected to the intermediate member 5 at 11 and having across theinner face of its outer end a metal strap or straight edge 12 secured atits ends 13 to the member 10. The mileage strip 1 is folded in the usualzigzag manner on the intermediate member 5 and its extreme end is passedunder the straight edge 12. The inner end member 6 is then folded downon the zigzag folds of the mile age strip so as to hold them between themembers 5 and 6. Said members 5 and 6 are then folded over on the member10, so that the bulk of the mileage strip is between the members 5 and 6and the outer end thereof extends around the tubular end 8 of the member6 and outward between the members 6 and 10 and under the straight edge.In computing the mileage in the manner previously described, theconductor pulls out the strip until the proper digit is in front of thestraight edge and then tears it off.

What is claimed as new is 1. A. mileage book marked transversely to formmile pieces, and provided with a vertical column of designating numeralsarranged in arithmetical progression to designate the mile pieces, and aseries of parallel diagonally extending auxiliary numbers arranged inarithmetical progression from 1 to 9, the numeral one of each seriesbeing disposed horizontally abreast of the designating numerals of themile pieces, and in juxtaposition thereto.

2. A mileage book marked transversely to form mile pieces, and providedwith a vertical column of designating numerals arranged in arithmeticalprogression to designate the mile pieces, and a series of paralleldiagonally extending auxiliary numbers arranged in arithmeticalprogression from 1 to 9, the numeral one of each series being disposedhorizontally abreast of the designating numerals of the mile pieces, andinjuxtaposition thereto, each group of ten mile pieces beingappropriately designated to indicate ten miles.

3. A mileage book marked transversely to form mile pieces and providedwith a vertical column of designating numerals arranged in arithmeticalprogression to designate the mile pieces, and a series of paralleldiagonally extending auxiliary numbers arranged in arithmeticalprogression from 1 to 9, the numeral one of each series being disposedhorizontally abreast of the designating numerals of the mile pieces, andin juxtaposition thereto each group of ten mile 10 pieces beingappropriately designated to indicate ten miles and being progressivelynumbered.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MIRABEAU E. SPARKS.

W'itnesses E. J. GREEN, S. JENKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

